Spice Blends: Key Ingredient

Sharpen your most essential cooking competency — Knife Skills! — in this hands-on workshop that teaches precision, efficiency, and professional techniques. Designed for cooks of all levels and taught by Steven Gao, Per Se alum and the content creator behind @stevenmotocooks, the workshop covers starter to more advanced executions in an approachable, real-world setting. You’ll start with fundamentals that support consistency and control. These include grip, stance, safety, and economy of movement. Steven will then demonstrate the core cuts used in professional settings, after which, you’ll roll up your sleeves and practice yourself – with fresh ingredients and personal guidance. You’ll also enjoy light bites and a selection of mocktails and cocktails, followed by a Q&A with Steven, wherein you’ll get cooking tips and insights to working in professional kitchens. This workshop is ideal for home cooks looking to build confidence; aspiring home chefs developing core skills; and anyone interested in better understanding professional culinary standards. This workshop offers a focused environment grounded in technique, clarity and practical application — because great food starts with knife skills.

Learn how to make scrumptious dumplings from a wide range of Asian traditions --- all hands-on. We'll also create perfect dipping sauces in each tradition. Together, you'll make and dine on: steamed shrimp shao mai with orange dipping sauce; deep-fried chicken wontons; vegetable gyoza with spicy dipping sauce; and pork and chive dumplings.

Expand your knowledge and techniques in preparing dishes using fresh pasta dough, homemade sauces, fresh herbs, and more. Over the course of the evening, you will learn to create intricate, trattoria-quality pastas, such as: Potato Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Sauce; Ricotta Cavatelli with Peas, Mint and Lemon; and Spaghetti Carbonara.

The farms, orchards and of course vineyards of California's wine country combine to turn the region into one of the most bountiful in the U.S. The kitchens of Napa, Sonoma and the Russian River Valley highlight the quality of the ingredients at hand. Learn to make some of those dishes in your own kitchen, including: fig salad with sweet-spiced walnuts, Gorgonzola and Champagne vinaigrette; pork tenderloin with pan-roasted grapes; scallops with pan-roasted grapes and sauvignon blanc; and warm Dijon potatoes with fresh herbs and peas. You will enjoy these with a selection of California wines.